Tag: #chivay

Canyon Colca, Peru (part 1)

I’d like to tell you about Canyon Colca in Peru. Peru has a lot of sights well known all over the world: Machu Picchu, Naska lines etc. Canyon Colca isn’t so popular. But I highly recommend visiting. Canyon is 3400 m deep. It’s deeper than Grand Canyon (1800 m) in the USA. Canyon Colca isn’t so famous because it hasn’t steep slope as Grand Canyon. But Canyon Colca is very picturesque.

on the way to Canyon Colca

How to get
You can get there from Arequipa or from Puno. There are many tourist agencies which can offer a lot of excursions to the canyon. You can spend 1-3 or even more days there.
Also you will be able to go by bus. But it’s not convenient because you need to catch bus on the road.

When to go
The greatest attraction of Canyon Colca is the flight of Condors. They fly in the morning when they can soar in the air streams. So if you have only one day you should start nearly 3a.m. from Arequipa.

So we did. Started at night from Arequipa we were at Chivay at 7 a.m. It was really cold. We had breakfast with coca tea which was necessary on high altitude. Early in the morning it was very cold. I got frosen in my sandals and had to buy woolen socks at local market. After breakfast we visited the main square (Plasa de Armas) and beautiful Church of our Lady of the Assumption. Surprisingly, the Saints were dressed in colorful clothes. Next to the church you can buy national crafts and take pictures with alpacas.

After a break our bus started to the Canyon. We were lucky. The weather was sunny. I can’t imagine what to do in the Canyon when it rains. We came to “Mirador el Condor” The best point to watch condors.